This invention relates to games such as the Rubik""s cube (Trademarked) and other games.
Various devices and apparatus are known in the art for providing puzzles where pieces are rotated in various ways.
The present invention in one embodiment provides an apparatus comprising a plurality of sections together forming a rotatable connected object, which may for example be a sphere. One half of the sphere can be rotated with respect to another half of the sphere in various planes in or along various circular paths. In one embodiment the sphere has eight sections and can be rotated along any one of three different circular paths, A, B, and C.
The plurality of sections may include first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth sections. Each section may be joined to an adjacent section by a connector or in one embodiment by two connectors. Each connector may allow each section to rotate with respect to other sections. A plurality of connectors including twenty-four connectors for connecting eight sections may be provided.
Each connector may be comprised of first and second curved rails and a first gear. The first gear may be connected to the first and second curved rails. Each section may be comprised of a rail channel and a gear channel. The first and second curved rails of each connector may fit into the rail channels of each section. The first gear of the each connector may fit into a combination channel comprised of a gear channel of one section and the gear channel of an adjacent section.
The first and second curved rails of each connector may be connected to a first shaft of each connector. The first gear of each connector may be a conical gear which can rotate about the first shaft of each connector. The gear channel of the each section may include ridges which interact with the first gear of each connector when the particular section is moved with respect to an adjacent section.
Each section may have a top surface. The rail channel and gear channel of each section may lie beneath the top surface of the corresponding section and within the sphere when the plurality of sections are put together to form the sphere. The connected object may have different surfaces which may make the connected sphere appear unlike a sphere on the connected object surface. However, the rail channels and gear channels will typically form an inner sphere.
In one embodiment, the sphere can be put in a first configuration where: first and second connectors join the first section to the second section; third and fourth connectors join the first section to the third section; fifth and sixth connectors join the first section to the sixth section; seventh and eighth connectors join the second section to the fifth section; ninth and tenth connectors join the second section to the fourth section; eleventh and twelfth connectors join the third section to the fourth section; thirteenth and fourteenth connector joins the third section to the seventh section; fifteenth and sixteenth connectors join the fourth section to the eighth section; seventeenth and eighteenth connectors joins the fifth section to the sixth section; nineteenth and twentieth connectors join the fifth section to the eighth section; twenty-first and twenty-second connectors joins the sixth section to the seventh section; and the twenty-third and twenty-fourth connectors joins the seventh section to the eighth section.
A half of the sphere comprised of the first, third, seventh, and sixth sections can be rotated ninety degrees along a circle A with respect to a half of the sphere comprised-of the second, fourth, eighth, and fifth sections to change the sphere from the first configuration to a second configuration. In the second configuration, the connectors along the circle A have changed in position one half of a section arc length from the first configuration. The other connectors remain in the same position with respect to the sections they connect.
A half of the sphere comprised of the first, second, fourth, and third sections can be rotated ninety degrees along a circle B with respect to a half of- the sphere comprised of the fifth, seventh, eighth, and sixth sections to change the sphere from the first configuration to a third configuration. In the third configuration, the connectors along the circle B have changed in position one half of a section arc length from the first configuration. The other connectors remain in the same position with respect to the sections they connect.
A half of the sphere comprised of the third, fourth, eighth, and seventh sections can be rotated ninety degrees along a circle C with respect to a half of the sphere comprised of the first, second, fifth, and sixth sections to change the sphere from the first configuration to a fourth configuration. In the fourth configuration, the connectors along the circle C have changed in position one half of a section arc length from the first configuration. The other connectors remain in the same position with respect to the sections they connect.